Machine for feeding pamphlets, &amp;c., to stitching-machines.



No. 727,692. PATENTED MAY 12, 1903,

- J. 0, RODGERS.

a, MAGHINB FOR FEEDING PAMPHLETS, &o.,TO STITGHING MACHINES.

v APPLIOATION FILED nomia, 1902. iro MODEL. 2 sums-511111111.

, PATBNTBD MAY'IZ, 1903.

I I r J. c. RODGERS. I

MACHINE FOR FEEDING PA MPHLETS, 8mg T0 STITGHING MACHINES.

nrmumonnnnnnomm,19oz. no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

so 198 E 29' HM U? E 11 um E J6%dj /@I9Q Tdn 1' I v a 4 @qfim'rje ys -vide a mechanism of this character in which UNiTEn STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

PATENT ".FFIGE.

JASPER C. RODGERS, OF OHATTAN-QOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOM THOMAS R. PRESTON, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING PAMEHLETS, do, T0 STITCHING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent N 0. 727,692,- dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed November 18, 1902. Serial No. 131,844. (No model.) a

To all whom. it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, J AsrER C(Ronenns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and use ful Machine for Feeding Pamphlets, &c., to Stitching-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism forfeeding pamphlets, papers, cardboard, and other articles to stitching, stapling, or other machinery; and to this end it comprises in'general a table or saddle for receiving the articles to be fed and mechanism for imparting vertical movement to said table in order that the uppermost pamphlet or other article may be readily fed to the work table of a stitching, stapling, or other machine. p

A further object of the invention is to pro- A still further objectoftheinvention is to provide a simple formof mechanism for start-.-

ing and stopping the feedingmovement of the table and in thisc onnection to provide means for quickly restoring the table. to its lowest position to receive a fresh supply of articles tobe fed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically stopping the feeding movement after the table has reached its highest position or where the feeding movement'continues while the'tablestill supports the pamphlets duringthe absence of the operator.

With these and other objects in view the invention consistsin the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustratedin the accompanying. drawings, and particularly pointed outrinthe appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details ofthe structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrific-- ing any of the advantages of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is vstruction of the sectional nut. I tional plan view, on an enlarged scale, on the line 5 50f Fig. 1.

aside elevation of an automatic feeding mechanism constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the lower portion of the vertical feed-shaft and the revoluble nut and friction-disk. Fig. 4=is a sectional plan view on the line 44 of Fig. 3, illustrating the con- Fig. 5 is a sec- .Similar nu merals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figuresof the drawings.

The machine formingthe subject of the present invention may be employed in connection with operating mechanism of any character-such as stitching or stapling machines or cuttingfdie-stamping, veneer machines and the like-andis designed to elevate small articlessuch as pamphlets, signatures, or sheets of paper, cardboard, metal, wood, and the likeso that the uppermost article will be maintained in a position at or slightly above the level of the work-table of the machine to which it is to be fed and in convenient position to he slid under the operating mechanism of such machine.

The various operating members of the feeding mechanism are supported in an open frame 10, having a suitable base 11 and provided with an upwardly and laterally extended arm 12.

The frame is provided with upper and lower guiding-boxes 14, through which passes avertically-disposed threaded shaft 15, which may be held from rotative movement in any desired manner, as by the employment of a stationary key or pin fitting in a vertical slot or keyway in the shaft, and at the top of the shaft is placed a saddle or table 16 for the reception of the articles to be fed. When used for feeding pamphlets,a saddle, such as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and-2', .is placed at the top of the threaded shaft or forcside-stitching machines or othermachines having flat work-tables a horizontal table, such as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, may be placed on theshaft. Resting on the upper end of the lower guiding-box 14: is a revoluble collar 17, secured to or forming a part of a horizontallydisposed friction-disk 18, the collar and disk having a central opening to permit the free passage of the shaft and being held from downward movement by the said lower guiding-box. The collar is provided with laterally-projectingears 20 and is recessed to permit the entrance of a split nut 21, threaded to engage the threaded shaft 15, the nut members being pivoted on a vertical bolt 22, which extends through the cars 20. The nut members are provided with grips or handles 23, normally held apart by a spring 24 in order to engage the threaded portions of the nut with the shaft. The nut may be disengaged from the shaft at any time by forcing the bandle members together against the action of the spring.

The friction-disk is revolved by a small friction-roller 25, carried by a shaft 26, the shaft and roller being adjustable in order to place the roller at any desired distance from the center of the friction-disk, and thus regulate the speed of rotation of the disk without altering that of the friction-roller, while at the same time the fixed roller serves to prevent upward movement of said disk and the collar carried thereby. The shaft of the friction-roller is provided with a grooved collar 26', with which engage pins carried by a yoke or bifurcated arm .26 of a construction similar to that ordinarily employed for operating clutches and serving as a means for offecting longitudinal adjustment of the shaft. The shaft of the friction-roller is mounted eccentrically in a bearing-sleeve 27, which is held in a guiding-opening formed in a boss 28, integral with the supporting-frame and so arranged that by revolving the sleeve the roller may be moved into or out of contact with the friction-disk, and thus start or stop the vertical movement of the threaded shaft 15 and table. The sleeve 27 is provided at one end with an annular flange 29, bearing against the outer end of the boss 28. The inner end of the sleeve receives a fixed ring 30, having diametrically-opposed arms 31 and 32, the arm 31 being connected by a bar 33 to one end of a pedal-lever 34, mounted on a bracket 35, the latter being arranged at a central point under the foot-piece of the lever, so that the operator may rock thelatter in either direction to effect a slightly rotative movement of the bearing-sleeve and either raise or lower the friction-roller 25.

To the upper end of the arm 12 is pivoted a safety stop-lever 36, which projects over the table 16 and is engaged thereby when the table reaches its highest point. The lever 36 is connected to a rod 37, leading to the outer end of a bar 38, carried by the arm 32, so that when the lever 36 is raised by contact with the table or the articles carried thereby the bearing-sleeve will be rotated and the friction-roller raised from contact with the disk.

In operating the mechanism, the table being at its lowest point, the pamphlets or other articles are placed in proper position on the table and the operator moves the pedal-lever in the proper direction to depress the friction-roller and cause its engagement with the friction-disk. The disk and split nut are now rotated, and the threaded shaft 15 iselevated continuously at a speed dependent on the distance of the friction-roller 25 from the center of rotation of the disk. The articles are thus gradually elevated at such speed that the uppermost will be in convenient position to slip over onto the work-table of the stitching or other machine, while if the stitching-machine is temporarily stopped or the feeding movement is too rapid the operator may instantly check the feed by raising the roller 25 from contact with the disk. When the supply carried by the table is exhausted, the operator forces the grips or handles 23 toward each other, releasing the split nut from the threads of the vertical shaft and allowing the shaft and table to fall by gravity to the lowest position, so that a fresh supply may be placed on the table.

Should the operator leave the machine without stopping the feeding movement, the table or the articles carried thereby will come into contact with the safety stop-lever 36 and elevate the same to an extent sufficient to rotate the bearing-sleeve and elevate the friction-roller from contact with the disk.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A feeding device for elevating articles to be operated upon to the work-table of a machine, comprising a supporting saddle or table, a vertically-disposed threaded shaft carrying the same, means for guiding the shaft, a split nut engaging the shaft, a driving means for engaging and revolving said nut, an operating-lever for disengaging the driving means, a pedal mechanism connected to said lever and under the control of the operator for stopping the machine, and an automatic mechanism also connected to said lever and operable by excessive upward movement of the saddle or table for disconnecting the driving means.

2. In a device of the class specified, a supporting-table, a threaded shaft carrying the same, a nut engaging said shaft, a frictiondisk operatively connected to said nut, a fric' tion-roller, means for revolving the roller, an eccentric carrying the roller, a lever secured to the eccentric and having oppositely-directed arms, a pedal mechanism connected to one arm, and an automatic mechanism connected to the opposite arm for turning the eccentric and thereby disengaging the roller from the disk.

3. In a device of the class specified, a supporting-table, a vertically-disposed threaded shaft carrying the same, a friction-disk encircling the lower portion of the shaft, said friction-disk having an unthreaded opening for the passage of the shaft, a split nut carried by the hub of the disk and engaging the threads of the shaft, handles forming a part of the nut members, a friction-roller for engaging and driving the disk, and a longitudinally-adjustable shaft for moving the roller toward and from the center of rotation of the disk.

4. In adevice of the class specified, a supporting-table, a vertically-disposed threaded shaft carrying the same, a split nut engaging the shaft, a friction-disk carrying said nut, a friction-roller for driving the disk, a longitudinally-adjustable shaft carryingthe roller, an eccentric bearing sleeve supporting the shaft, and means for revolving said sleeve to move the roller into and out of contact with the friction-disk.

5. In a device of the class specified, a table, a vertically-movable threaded shaft carrying the same, a friction -disk surrounding the shaft and havingasleeve provided with pivotears, a frame having a lower portion engaging the end of the sleeve and serving to prevent downward movement thereof, a friction driving-roller engaging the disk and preventing upward movement thereof, a pair of threaded members forming a split nut and pivotally connected to the ears and to each other, grips or handles forming a part of said members, and a compression-spring tending to separate the grips or handles and maintain the nut-sections in engagement with the shaft.

6. In a device of the class specified, a table, a vertically-disposed threaded shaft carrying the same, a nut engaging the shaft, a frictiondisk carrying the nut, a friction roller for driving the disk, a shaft carrying the roller, a circu mferentially-adj ustable sleevein which the shaftis eccentrically mounted, oppositelydisposed arms secured to the sleeve, an automatic stop-lever projecting over the table and operatively connected to one of said arms, and a pivotally mounted pedal-lever having an operative connection with the second of said arms.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown I have hereto aflfixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JASPER O. RODGERS,

Witnesses:

W. P. COOLIDGE, MARK HUTCHINS 

